2010 Volkswagen Golf Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
46/100
#8 most-complained of 14 Golf years
The 2010 Volkswagen Golf has 69 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 46, and ranks 8th of 14 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Golf years. Fuel system issues dominate, making up 46% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 69
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 3 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 29
- 26 city / 33.5 hwy
Top 2010 Volkswagen Golf problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Fuel System32 (46%)
- Engine16 (23%)
- Airbags11 (16%)
- Transmission & Powertrain7 (10%)
- Brakes5 (7%)
- Electrical System5 (7%)
- Structure & Body4 (6%)
- Other3 (4%)
- Seat Belts3 (4%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (1%)
What owners report
- Owners report the engine stalling unexpectedly while braking to a stop or driving downhill, sometimes recurring daily.
- Diesel fuel has been reported spraying from the engine area after a sudden loss of power at highway speed.
- Some owners describe a ticking noise from the engine traced to roller lifters needing replacement.
- One owner reported the transmission shifting or revving on its own without driver input.
- A sunroof reportedly shattered with very low mileage on the odometer while driving.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in a rear-end crash at highway speed.
2010 Volkswagen Golf recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 18V148000Mar 6, 2018Airbags363,713 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Volkswagen CC, 2010-2014 Golf, 2010-2014 Eos, 2007-2010 Passat Sedan and Wagon, and 2012-2014 Passat vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could explode with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator with an alternative inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9. Note: This recall partially supersedes recall 16V-078.
- NHTSA 16V913000Dec 20, 2016Brakes135,683 vehicles
Electronic stability control (esc)
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Volkswagen Jetta A5 Sedan, 2009 Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, Eos, GTI, Rabbit and Audi A3 vehicles, and 2010 Volkswagen Golf A6 vehicles. The Antilock Brake System (ABS) control unit may fail during ABS or Electronic Stability Control (ESC) activation, possibly causing a loss of vehicle control.
Risk: A loss of vehicle control can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS control module software to improve the module's self-testing abilities. Any module that fails the new diagnostic test will be replaced. These repairs will be made free of charge. The recall began February 2017. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.
- NHTSA 16V078000Feb 10, 2016Airbags659,493 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain model year 2010-2014 Golf, 2007-2010 Passat sedans and wagon, 2012-2014 Passat sedan and Eos, 2009-2014 CC, 2009-2012 Audi Q5, 2010-2012 S5 Cabriolet and 2010-2012 Audi A5 Cabriolet vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflators, free of charge. Volkswagen issued an interim notification to owners on April 12, 2016, and will send a second notification when parts are available. Volkswagen will notify owners again once parts are available. Volkswagen owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Audi owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834.
2010 Volkswagen Golf fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 26 MPG
- Highway
- 33.5 MPG
- Combined
- 29 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,775
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2010 compared with other Golf years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Volkswagen Golf reliable?
- Compared to other Golf model years, the 2010 has a complaint index of 46 and ranks 8th out of 14 years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to the rest of the lineup.
- What is the most common problem with the 2010 Volkswagen Golf?
- Fuel system issues are the top problem area, accounting for 46% of complaints (32 of 69), with a median mileage at failure around 29,545 miles.
- Does the 2010 Volkswagen Golf have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2010 Golf, covering airbags (two separate campaigns), brakes (ABS software), and a fuel system fix involving fuel injector lines.
- How does the 2010 Golf compare to other years like 2011 or 2015?
- The 2010 Golf's complaint index of 46 is much lower than the 2011 (77), 2015 (100), and 2017 (85) model years, all of which carry "Avoid" verdicts.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2010 Volkswagen Golf?
- The 2010 Golf is EPA-rated at 29 mpg combined (26 city / 33.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,775.